Sought out for its scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, outstanding fishing at Smith Mountain Lake and the Upper James River Water Trail and one-of-a-kind shops and boutiques, Roanoke is a charming city for retirement living. It’s home to nearly 100,000 residents, about 16,000 of whom are aged 65 and over. While many come for its recreational amenities, the city also supports easy access to healthcare services. Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is rated among the top hospitals in the country and provides a broad range of general and specialty services, including cardiovascular care, diabetic care and gastroenterology. Following hospitalization, many seniors reside in a nursing home before transitioning back to their home environment. Roanoke is a cost-effective option for this type of care. The Genworth 2020 Cost of Care Survey discloses that local facilities charge $7,513 for this level of care, which is lower than state and national medians.
Nursing homes are residential facilities staffed by licensed healthcare professionals. They offer meals, personal care and around-the-clock medical support and monitoring, along with physical, occupational and speech therapy as needed. This high level of care is costly, but fortunately, affordable alternatives are available. Seniors who only need personal care services or a limited scope of skilled nursing may obtain the care they need in assisted living or via home-based care.
This guide provides more information on nursing home placement in Roanoke, including a cost analysis and a list of resources available to seniors with extensive care needs.
Directory of Nursing Homes in Roanoke, VA
327 Hershberger Rd Nw, Roanoke, VA, 24012
The staff at Friendship Health North Campus was friendly, answered our questions, and seemed to interact with residents very well. The facility was clean and their accommodations were pretty common as
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The staff at Friendship Health North Campus was friendly, answered our questions, and seemed to interact with residents very well. The facility was clean and their accommodations were pretty common as far as what a nursing home would be. The room sizes were a little bit bigger than where my mom was, but you still had two people per room. The only thing I didn’t like was if you want to visit a resident, you cannot visit them in the room, I think it’s for security reasons. However, they take them on trips to different places and sometimes just for sightseeing locally in the mountains or something like that. They have an activities director that has a pretty good activities calendar and group activities for them. They also have a courtyard. The facility was just well maintained.
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The staff at Friendship Health North Campus was friendly, answered our questions, and seemed to interact with residents very well. The facility was clean and their accommodations were pretty common as
… (read more)
The staff at Friendship Health North Campus was friendly, answered our questions, and seemed to interact with residents very well. The facility was clean and their accommodations were pretty common as far as what a nursing home would be. The room sizes were a little bit bigger than where my mom was, but you still had two people per room. The only thing I didn’t like was if you want to visit a resident, you cannot visit them in the room, I think it’s for security reasons. However, they take them on trips to different places and sometimes just for sightseeing locally in the mountains or something like that. They have an activities director that has a pretty good activities calendar and group activities for them. They also have a courtyard. The facility was just well maintained.
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4550 SHENANDOAH AVE N W, Roanoke, VA, 24017
My husband is currently at the Virginia Veterans Care Center. They’ve done a very good job with him, and they’re doing regular, weekly COVID testing, and they’ve been very diligent in keeping that out
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My husband is currently at the Virginia Veterans Care Center. They’ve done a very good job with him, and they’re doing regular, weekly COVID testing, and they’ve been very diligent in keeping that out of there. Even though they have a lot of cases now, they’ve actually done a very good job. Everybody’s been fine, everybody’s been very professional, and there’s good communication with everybody up there. He seems satisfied with the food.
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My husband is currently at the Virginia Veterans Care Center. They’ve done a very good job with him, and they’re doing regular, weekly COVID testing, and they’ve been very diligent in keeping that out
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My husband is currently at the Virginia Veterans Care Center. They’ve done a very good job with him, and they’re doing regular, weekly COVID testing, and they’ve been very diligent in keeping that out of there. Even though they have a lot of cases now, they’ve actually done a very good job. Everybody’s been fine, everybody’s been very professional, and there’s good communication with everybody up there. He seems satisfied with the food.
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1527 GRANDIN ROAD SOUTHWEST, Roanoke, VA, 24015
My mother-in-law has been in the rehab program for over one month. The care has been very good especially the
OT/PT professionals. The food is good as I have eaten
dinner with my mother-in-law many
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My mother-in-law has been in the rehab program for over one month. The care has been very good especially the
OT/PT professionals. The food is good as I have eaten
dinner with my mother-in-law many times. There is a quite a number of permanent residents which I interact with who seem happy with the staff and facility.
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My mother-in-law has been in the rehab program for over one month. The care has been very good especially the
OT/PT professionals. The food is good as I have eaten
dinner with my mother-in-law many
… (read more)
My mother-in-law has been in the rehab program for over one month. The care has been very good especially the
OT/PT professionals. The food is good as I have eaten
dinner with my mother-in-law many times. There is a quite a number of permanent residents which I interact with who seem happy with the staff and facility.
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5647 Starkey Road, Roanoke, VA, 24018
My sister-in-law is in Friendship Health-South. The appearance is excellent, it’s relatively new, very clean, and very nice. I think they’re treating her very well. They’ve got a good and very friendl
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My sister-in-law is in Friendship Health-South. The appearance is excellent, it’s relatively new, very clean, and very nice. I think they’re treating her very well. They’ve got a good and very friendly staff. She has a private room, with standard looking furniture, a TV, and a window looking out onto a courtyard. She complains about the food a little bit, and they seem to have quite a lot of things going on.
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My sister-in-law is in Friendship Health-South. The appearance is excellent, it’s relatively new, very clean, and very nice. I think they’re treating her very well. They’ve got a good and very friendl
… (read more)
My sister-in-law is in Friendship Health-South. The appearance is excellent, it’s relatively new, very clean, and very nice. I think they’re treating her very well. They’ve got a good and very friendly staff. She has a private room, with standard looking furniture, a TV, and a window looking out onto a courtyard. She complains about the food a little bit, and they seem to have quite a lot of things going on.
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650 NORTH JEFFERSON STREET, Roanoke, VA, 24016
Our Lady of the Valley, located in Roanoke, Virginia, is a beautiful assisted living facility rooted in a faith-based philosophy offering compassion and care. Rooms are spacious, clean, remodeled and
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Our Lady of the Valley, located in Roanoke, Virginia, is a beautiful assisted living facility rooted in a faith-based philosophy offering compassion and care. Rooms are spacious, clean, remodeled and nicely furnished, making for pleasant, comfortable experiences for residents. A new rehab unit is available for those who need physical therapy after a surgical procedure or to work at maintaining wellness. Activities abound and include socializing, watching TV and listening to music. Residents and guests alike appreciate the dining room, where chefs prepare high-quality meals using fresh ingredients including lots of vegetables and fruits on a large salad bar.
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Our Lady of the Valley, located in Roanoke, Virginia, is a beautiful assisted living facility rooted in a faith-based philosophy offering compassion and care. Rooms are spacious, clean, remodeled and
… (read more)
Our Lady of the Valley, located in Roanoke, Virginia, is a beautiful assisted living facility rooted in a faith-based philosophy offering compassion and care. Rooms are spacious, clean, remodeled and nicely furnished, making for pleasant, comfortable experiences for residents. A new rehab unit is available for those who need physical therapy after a surgical procedure or to work at maintaining wellness. Activities abound and include socializing, watching TV and listening to music. Residents and guests alike appreciate the dining room, where chefs prepare high-quality meals using fresh ingredients including lots of vegetables and fruits on a large salad bar.
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3433 SPRINGTREE DRIVE, Roanoke, VA, 24012
This is a great place to put your loved ones who you never want to speak to again. It’s nearly impossible to get a hold of patients. After trying at least once every two weeks I still haven’t talk
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This is a great place to put your loved ones who you never want to speak to again. It’s nearly impossible to get a hold of patients. After trying at least once every two weeks I still haven’t talked to my grandmother in months. Nobody answers the phone and when they do the patient phones are either not charged or they can’t find one.
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This is a great place to put your loved ones who you never want to speak to again. It’s nearly impossible to get a hold of patients. After trying at least once every two weeks I still haven’t talk
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This is a great place to put your loved ones who you never want to speak to again. It’s nearly impossible to get a hold of patients. After trying at least once every two weeks I still haven’t talked to my grandmother in months. Nobody answers the phone and when they do the patient phones are either not charged or they can’t find one.
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3837 Brandon Avenue, Roanoke, VA, 24018
I was interested in Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, but they have a long waiting list. I had several friends that were residents there and I thought they were great. I really liked the
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I was interested in Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, but they have a long waiting list. I had several friends that were residents there and I thought they were great. I really liked the place. I never saw the apartments. I only saw the rehab and the nursing home part. At Brandon Oaks, they have little cottages or if a person wants to retire with assisted living, they could go in there, but I never saw any of those. I didn’t have any friends in there after Covid, but before Covid, you didn’t have to make an appointment, you could just go up anytime and go visit. The rooms were all good. The facility was very clean. I liked their staff. The staff was very friendly, very caring and loving with the residents. When I was there, I noticed all that and I liked it.
They had a lot of things set up where they bring everybody into the cafeteria, and they’d have little awards they give the residents. During the time when the Emmy’s and Oscar’s were on TV, they would have a little Emmy or Oscar award ceremony for all the residents. They had a lot of music groups come up and play for them. I thought it was really good. The cafeteria was really nice. It didn’t look like a hospital cafeteria. It looked like you’d go to a nice restaurant. You have all these tables and the walls or panels. It was just very pretty. Sometimes, we’d go out on the front lawn and they had a gazebo. I tried the food there, and it was fantastic.
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I was interested in Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, but they have a long waiting list. I had several friends that were residents there and I thought they were great. I really liked the
… (read more)
I was interested in Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, but they have a long waiting list. I had several friends that were residents there and I thought they were great. I really liked the place. I never saw the apartments. I only saw the rehab and the nursing home part. At Brandon Oaks, they have little cottages or if a person wants to retire with assisted living, they could go in there, but I never saw any of those. I didn’t have any friends in there after Covid, but before Covid, you didn’t have to make an appointment, you could just go up anytime and go visit. The rooms were all good. The facility was very clean. I liked their staff. The staff was very friendly, very caring and loving with the residents. When I was there, I noticed all that and I liked it.
They had a lot of things set up where they bring everybody into the cafeteria, and they’d have little awards they give the residents. During the time when the Emmy’s and Oscar’s were on TV, they would have a little Emmy or Oscar award ceremony for all the residents. They had a lot of music groups come up and play for them. I thought it was really good. The cafeteria was really nice. It didn’t look like a hospital cafeteria. It looked like you’d go to a nice restaurant. You have all these tables and the walls or panels. It was just very pretty. Sometimes, we’d go out on the front lawn and they had a gazebo. I tried the food there, and it was fantastic.
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3823 FRANKLIN RD, SW, Roanoke, VA, 24014
I went to South Roanoke Nursing Home Inc. I liked it very well. It’s very personable. The administrator is wonderful. She knows every single patient there. She is the most caring individual I’ve ever
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I went to South Roanoke Nursing Home Inc. I liked it very well. It’s very personable. The administrator is wonderful. She knows every single patient there. She is the most caring individual I’ve ever been around. It was excellent, but because my friend was from Blacksburg, she wanted to stay in Blacksburg. It is smaller and older. They are in the process of upgrading it, but it is very clean. There are no odors at all. It’s very friendly. Some very caring individuals work there. It’s an excellent facility.
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I went to South Roanoke Nursing Home Inc. I liked it very well. It’s very personable. The administrator is wonderful. She knows every single patient there. She is the most caring individual I’ve ever
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I went to South Roanoke Nursing Home Inc. I liked it very well. It’s very personable. The administrator is wonderful. She knows every single patient there. She is the most caring individual I’ve ever been around. It was excellent, but because my friend was from Blacksburg, she wanted to stay in Blacksburg. It is smaller and older. They are in the process of upgrading it, but it is very clean. There are no odors at all. It’s very friendly. Some very caring individuals work there. It’s an excellent facility.
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367 Hershberger Road, Roanoke, VA, 24012
4355 PHEASANT RIDGE ROAD, SW, Roanoke, VA, 24014
This is the worse place possible to send someone. My Family member was there for rehabilitation and they did not do much rehab with her. She was there for 11 days and was never given a bath. The
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This is the worse place possible to send someone. My Family member was there for rehabilitation and they did not do much rehab with her. She was there for 11 days and was never given a bath. The first night she was there they would not even help her to the restroom. The people at the nurses station were rude. They had her stuff packed when I got there in a a box. When I picked up the box everything fell out and no one offered to help pick it up. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS place.
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This is the worse place possible to send someone. My Family member was there for rehabilitation and they did not do much rehab with her. She was there for 11 days and was never given a bath. The
… (read more)
This is the worse place possible to send someone. My Family member was there for rehabilitation and they did not do much rehab with her. She was there for 11 days and was never given a bath. The first night she was there they would not even help her to the restroom. The people at the nurses station were rude. They had her stuff packed when I got there in a a box. When I picked up the box everything fell out and no one offered to help pick it up. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS place.
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3131 Electric Rd, Roanoke, VA, 24018
This nursing home has horrible guidelines for all areas of care. Nursing skills are lacking. My sister could not breathe and was chocking and gasping for air. Her vital signs were not taken, her lung
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This nursing home has horrible guidelines for all areas of care. Nursing skills are lacking. My sister could not breathe and was chocking and gasping for air. Her vital signs were not taken, her lungs were not listened to. Her nurse told her to relax. My sister yelled please call 911, her nurse said ,I have a few things to do first. My sister called me and I called 911.. That’s how she left this horrible facility. While their she became infected with a bacterial that was highly contagious. She was “supposed “ to be in isolation but they left the patient in the same room with her for 3 days before moving her, the bathroom was shared by 2 men in the adjoining room, really? AND she was still going to community physical therapy!! Hygiene? Glad you asked. They were taking wipes from one patient’s room to another because they were running out of them. They would wipe poop off of my sister’s butt, not change gloves and touch all surfaces, including doorknobs! Germ infested is this place! Please remember this the next time if you ever have to go here.
I am writing this out of concern for anyone who has to put their family member here!
To be fair there were a couple of staff members that were stars and their help was truly appreciated!
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This nursing home has horrible guidelines for all areas of care. Nursing skills are lacking. My sister could not breathe and was chocking and gasping for air. Her vital signs were not taken, her lung
… (read more)
This nursing home has horrible guidelines for all areas of care. Nursing skills are lacking. My sister could not breathe and was chocking and gasping for air. Her vital signs were not taken, her lungs were not listened to. Her nurse told her to relax. My sister yelled please call 911, her nurse said ,I have a few things to do first. My sister called me and I called 911.. That’s how she left this horrible facility. While their she became infected with a bacterial that was highly contagious. She was “supposed “ to be in isolation but they left the patient in the same room with her for 3 days before moving her, the bathroom was shared by 2 men in the adjoining room, really? AND she was still going to community physical therapy!! Hygiene? Glad you asked. They were taking wipes from one patient’s room to another because they were running out of them. They would wipe poop off of my sister’s butt, not change gloves and touch all surfaces, including doorknobs! Germ infested is this place! Please remember this the next time if you ever have to go here.
I am writing this out of concern for anyone who has to put their family member here!
To be fair there were a couple of staff members that were stars and their help was truly appreciated!
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324 KING GEORGE AVE SW, Roanoke, VA, 24016
705 CLEARVIEW DRIVE, Vinton, VA, 24179
I just took my husband for respite care at Berkshire Health & Rehabilitation Center for one week. They have physical therapy available there. Some rooms are private and some are semi-private. It w
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I just took my husband for respite care at Berkshire Health & Rehabilitation Center for one week. They have physical therapy available there. Some rooms are private and some are semi-private. It was very clean. The staff seems very caring. I know they have activities available, but I didn’t see the activities. I know they had them posted. They had some people come in and give some entertainment. A lady called me to find out what kind of hobbies my husband has, so I know that they have things available for the people. They can work on puzzles or do different kinds of crafts and stuff. They seemed to be caring. It seemed clean, and it did not smell. Like everywhere, they can get more staff. Right now, with the COVID thing, everybody is a little bit short on staff; however, they seem to be better than some places.
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I just took my husband for respite care at Berkshire Health & Rehabilitation Center for one week. They have physical therapy available there. Some rooms are private and some are semi-private. It w
… (read more)
I just took my husband for respite care at Berkshire Health & Rehabilitation Center for one week. They have physical therapy available there. Some rooms are private and some are semi-private. It was very clean. The staff seems very caring. I know they have activities available, but I didn’t see the activities. I know they had them posted. They had some people come in and give some entertainment. A lady called me to find out what kind of hobbies my husband has, so I know that they have things available for the people. They can work on puzzles or do different kinds of crafts and stuff. They seemed to be caring. It seemed clean, and it did not smell. Like everywhere, they can get more staff. Right now, with the COVID thing, everybody is a little bit short on staff; however, they seem to be better than some places.
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1945 ROANOKE BLVD, Salem, VA, 24153
The nurses at Salem Health & Rehabilitation Center are excellent. They’ll help you with anything, and you don’t have any problems getting one of them to come. I think the food is pretty good too.
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The nurses at Salem Health & Rehabilitation Center are excellent. They’ll help you with anything, and you don’t have any problems getting one of them to come. I think the food is pretty good too. My husband eats it really well.
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The nurses at Salem Health & Rehabilitation Center are excellent. They’ll help you with anything, and you don’t have any problems getting one of them to come. I think the food is pretty good too.
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The nurses at Salem Health & Rehabilitation Center are excellent. They’ll help you with anything, and you don’t have any problems getting one of them to come. I think the food is pretty good too. My husband eats it really well.
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11 NORTH BROAD ST, Salem, VA, 24153
My daughter worked at Snyders Nursing Home; she was always gushing about the wonderful patients at this facility. She worked closely with all of the administration and nursing staff. She found them
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My daughter worked at Snyders Nursing Home; she was always gushing about the wonderful patients at this facility. She worked closely with all of the administration and nursing staff. She found them friendly and considerate most of the time. It’s a smaller facility, so patients are better known and better cared for. I was going to place my mom here when it became necessary, but I lost her before the necessity arose.
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My daughter worked at Snyders Nursing Home; she was always gushing about the wonderful patients at this facility. She worked closely with all of the administration and nursing staff. She found them
… (read more)
My daughter worked at Snyders Nursing Home; she was always gushing about the wonderful patients at this facility. She worked closely with all of the administration and nursing staff. She found them friendly and considerate most of the time. It’s a smaller facility, so patients are better known and better cared for. I was going to place my mom here when it became necessary, but I lost her before the necessity arose.
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Nursing Home Costs in Roanoke, Virginia
Semiprivate rooms in Roanoke nursing homes cost $7,513 per month. Seniors who reside in private rooms pay a higher monthly rate of $8,760.
The Cost of Nursing Home Care in Nearby Cities
Nursing home care in Roanoke costs approximately $7,513 per month for semiprivate accommodations. This is about $150 lower than the state median of $7,665 and almost $250 lower than the national monthly rate of $7,756.
Nursing home costs vary considerably across Virginia depending on location. Lynchburg is the cheapest option in the state for this level of care at $6,644 per month. In Charlottesville, which is about 120 miles to the northeast of Roanoke, nursing homes charge $7,452. The state capital of Richmond is an expensive option at $9,064, and Winchester has the highest rates in the state at $9,566.
The Cost of Other Types of Senior Care
Nursing homes charge the highest senior care fees in Roanoke, with residents paying $7,513 per month for shared rooms and $8,760 for private rooms. Fortunately, there are more affordable options, especially for those who don’t need 24-hour medical monitoring. Seniors who want to live in their own homes may be good candidates for home health care, which includes some skilled nursing services, for $4,385 per month. Home care features personal care and housekeeping without specialized services and is cheaper at $4,338. Assisted living costs $4,492 per month, and adult day health care is the cheapest option at $1,603.
Nursing home (semiprivate room)
Nursing home (private room)
Financial Assistance for Nursing Home Care in Roanoke, Virginia
Many seniors and their families use some form of financial assistance to help them pay for nursing care. The main options available are Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits. These programs can be complicated, especially when it comes to benefit terms. Below, we give a brief overview of how these programs may be used towards paying for skilled nursing care.
- Medicare: Medicare will typically cover all skilled nursing costs for the first 20 days of one’s stay in a nursing home and a portion of the costs until day 100. After 100 days in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare will not cover any part of the cost of the stay. While this is adequate when short-term care is needed, those in need of long-term care will need to either pay out-of-pocket or use another source of financial assistance.
- Medicaid: Medicaid covers most of the costs of living in a skilled nursing facility for those who qualify. Care, room, and board are covered with no time limit, but residents may be charged for extras like specially prepared food or cosmetic services. Medicaid eligibility standards are strict and complex, so not all seniors are eligible for Medicaid benefits.
- Veterans Benefits: Veterans receiving a VA pension may also be eligible for the Aid and Attendance benefit administered by the VA. Aid and Attendance is a monthly allowance that beneficiaries may use to pay for their long-term care, including skilled nursing care.
If these options aren’t available to you, check if your loved one has long-term care insurance or contact your Area Agency on Aging to ask about any local financial assistance programs for seniors.
Free Resources for Seniors in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is home to several nonprofit agencies and programs that help seniors obtain the best care for their needs. The following resources provide benefits and level of care screening services, health insurance options counseling and advocacy services. They may also help seniors obtain the care they need in the community and avoid or shorten the duration of nursing home placement.
Resource | Contact | Service |
Local Office on Aging | (540) 345-0451 | The Local Office on Aging administers the region’s Meals on Wheels program for older adults unable to prepare meals themselves, and it has a medical equipment loan closet stocked with donated equipment. It works with local agencies to provide services, such as access to food and clothing, utilities and housing assistance, medication assistance and disaster planning, which may enable older adults to delay or avoid nursing home placement. It also has a long-term care ombudsman that advocates on behalf of nursing home residents. |
VA Roanoke Regional Office | (800) 698-2411 | Veterans access benefits assistance through the VA Roanoke Regional Office, which provides in-person and over-the-phone assistance. Through this office, veterans get help with obtaining necessary documentation and discharge upgrades, determining the state and federal benefits they qualify for and applying for benefits. Specialists can help veterans enroll in pension programs and the Aid and Attendance Benefit, which can help cover nursing home and medical expenses. |
Roanoke City Health Department | Long Term Care Pre-Admission Screenings | (804) 367-2100 | The city’s Health Department administers a range of community outreach services, including long-term care preadmission screenings. Through this service, those who qualify for Medicare or Medicaid are screened to determine whether they qualify to have nursing home expenses covered under Medicaid. |
Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley | (540) 344-2080 | Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to those aged 60 and over. Its legal professionals help seniors resolve issues, such as problems with a nursing home’s intake or discharge procedures, billing errors and noncompliance with federal requirements for quality of care. |